Incubator



J. E. SEBER ET AL.

@ci M www www5 J. E. SEBER ET AL INCUBATOR Filed March 6, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 h ue'nffoz Q9 dgl??? 5.3576567 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 @Hoz new Oct, 14 1924.

J. E. SEBER ET AL INCUBATOR Filed March 6.

Patented oci. 14, 1924.

l y, f 1,511,305 PATENT oFF-ica.

'I'HN E. SEBER AND GEORGE E. CHAPLAIN', OF LEAVEN'WOBTH, KANSAS.

INCUBATOR.

Application lcd Iarch 6, 1923. Serial Ro. 623,139.

for lowering the trays as they reach suc-l cessive sta es of incubation, and ano-ther object of t e invention is to provide novel means for tilting the trays as needed and maintaining the traysin each series or column at fixed distances apart.- Other ob-` jects of the invention will appear in the course of the following description, and the invention resides in a certain novel construction and arrangement of parts which will be particularly pointed out in claims following the description.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a central longitudinal vertical section, With parts in elevation, of a portion of an incubator embodying our improvements;

.Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same with the topof the incubator removed;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional elevation of parts of the means for raising and lowering the trays;

Fig. 5 is a detail section on the line 5'-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of a locking cap or washer;

Fig. 7 is a detail view showing the par of a link connection between the trays separated but approximately in their proper relative positions. l

The incubator comprises a casing 1 which may be of any desired dimensions and is provided in its sides with the usual doors to permit accessfto the interior of the trays when eggs are to be removed or placed therein. Extending longitudinally of the incubator at opposite sides. of the center thereof are partitions 2 which define a central chamber in the incubator, as shown most clearly in Fig. 3, the said partitions terminatingA short of the top and bottom ofthe casing, as clearly shown. Disposed between the partitions 2 adjacent but spaced from the lower edges thereof is a false bottomor fioor 3, the purpose of which will presently appear, and this false floor or bottom may be supported in any convenient or preferred manner. In the bottom 4 of the casing are open-ended nipples 5 which furnish restricted inlets -for fresh air, and in the top 6 0f the-casing are similar nipples 7 which provide outlets for a portion of the foul air, these nipples 5 and 7 being disposed between the partitions 2 and the sides ofthe casing, as shown in Fig.

3. In the top of the central chamber are supported fans 8 which may be electrically driven and are so located that the current of air generated by them will be driven downwardly between the partitions 2 so as to strike the sub-Hoor 3 and be thereby diverted laterally under the edges of the artitions, as will be readily understood. ver each fan 8v in the top-of the casing is a cap 9 having an openlng 90 through which fresh air may'enter the casing, and heating pipes 80 are disposed within and extend the full length of the central chamber be- .tween the partitions 2. .To support the fans, we provide a ceiling board 81 which extends from end to end of the casingl between the planes of the partitions and is provided at proper intervals with openings 82 to lreceive fan supports each consisting of stout crossed wires 83 having their ends Secured upon the supporting ceiling board and their intermediate portions extending across the respective openings. We employ the ordinary fans now on the market equipped with guards 84 and support the fans by merely resting the guards on the wires 83, the current-carrying cable, indicated at 85, being-passed through the opening 90. Should a fan become inoperatlve for any reason, the cap 9 over that fan 1s removed whereupon the fan may be lifted out throuh the opening in the top of the casing and another fan substituted without any appreciable loss of time or disturbance of the circulation within the incubator.

The heating pipes 80 form a coil extending along the sides and across the ends of the central longitudinal chamber of the inv cubator and are connected with a boiler, indicatedat 86,- which may be of any prelos j ferred construction and located at any con-l factory. Those trays in which the period of incubation has nearly passed and in which hatching. is about to terminate are suported on the bottom 4 of the casing upon xed rests, as shown at 11. It will now be readily understood that the heat is supplied at the topof the casing and the fresh e gs are placed in the uppermost trays so t at these eggs will be subjected to the greatest heat. When the fans 8 are set in motion, a circulation of the air will be created which will drive the same downwardly, as before stated, to the floor 3'where it will be diverted so as to pass over the trays 11 and then upwardly through the columns of trays 10, foul air escaping through the outlets 7 while the greater portion of the heated air will be drawn over the upper edges of the partitions and again driven downwardly through the corridor between the partitions and thence over the trays 11 and up through the trays 10, as before. When the hot air comes intocontact with the cooler air entermg through the inlets 5, the moisture contained in the air will be condensed so that the desired humidity will beproduced.

vUpon the `sides of the casing at intervals, we secure brackets 12 and 13 in which are journaled the lower and upper ends respectively of a` vertically disposed feed screwv 14, the upper end vof the said screw being equi ped with a beveled gear 15 above the brac et' 13, as cllearly shown. Upon each partition 2 adjacent the lower edge thereof,

'- we secure brackets 16, corresponding to the brackets 12, and upon the upper edge of each partlti-on we secure brackets 17, correspondfingto the brackets 13. A vertically disposed feed screw 18 has its ends journaled 1n the alined bracketsl 16 and 17, and upon the upper end of this feed screw is secured a beveled pinion 19. The brackets 13 and 17 are constructed with upstanding arms 20 1n which is ljournaled a transverse shaft 21 equipped with beveled gears 22 which mesh with the pinions-15 and 19, as shown and as will be readily understood. The shafts 21 are' extended inwardly beyond 4the arms 20 of the lbrackets ,17 and are equipped upon their inner extremities with beveled pinions 23 meshing with similar pinions 24 upon the transmission shafts 25 extending longithe said lugs by split sleeves vide bearings for al transverse 'shaft 27` equipped with beveled pinions 28 meshing with inions 29 on the respective shafts 25. ne shaft 25 has its end extended through the adjacent end wall of the casing and is equipped with a crank 30er other convenient form of turning handle. When the handle or crank' 30 is rotated, the shafts 25 will, of course, be also rotated and this motion will be transmitted through the described gearing to the screws- 14 and 18, as will be readily understood;

Uponeach end of each tray is secured a bracket 31 having a boss 32 at its upper end provided with a central aperture to receive a pivot stud 33 formed on the end of a swivel member 34 whereby the tray may have pivotal movement about the said swivel member. The said member 34 is constructed with a lug 35 which fits between the upper and lower lugs or ears 36 of a split' nut 37 and is pivotally connected with a pin or rivet 38 inserted vertically therethrough, as clearly shown in Fi 4. A spring 39 is tted about vthe pivot an bears against suitable abutments or is attached to the members of the split nut so as to hold the nut normally closed and in engagement with the feed screw, as will be readily understood. When the feed screws are rotated, the nuts will be caused to travel longitudinally thereof and, consequently, will effect vertical movement of the trays so that they may be raised or lowered as desired. To further aid in holding the nuts in engagement with the feed screws 18, we provide the tubular guiding and retaining lcasings40 which consist of secured in any desired manner to the partitions 2 and encircling the feed screws, the split or slot 41 in the sleeve providing a passage through which the Shanks or stems of the split nuts may pass. The slot 41 should bejust wide enough to permit the shanks or necks of the nuts to slide freely therein and at the same time should t'so closely to the nuts as to prevent them from opening when the screws are rotated. The screws 14 mounted upon the sides of the casing are not disposed Within tubular guide housings, but the nuts engaging the same are held against premature or undue opening and consequent release by locking washers or caps 42 which are provided with radial slots or notches 43 in their tops or webs 44 so that they may be easily fitted about the screw and are constructed with rims 45 adapted to fit closely about the heads and edges of thel nuts and thereby prevent. opening of the same. It will now be readily noted that the trays will be caused to move vertically by the rotation of the 'screws and, therefore,

.a greater amount of external heat will be located near the top of the casing where the heat is supplied. When a tray'is inserted in the incubator, it is pushed against the feed 'screw 18 above the threads thereon so that the split nut will open and pass around the smooth surface of the screw, after which the tray is lowered until the nut passes within the open end of the sleeve 40 and engages i the threads of the screw. The nut at the outer end of the tray is closed around the threads of the feed screw 14 and the locking cap 42 is engaged over the nut to hold it in engagement with the threads. The member 18 is. smooth above and below the sleeve to facilitate the engagement and withdrawal of the nut but the member 14 is threaded td its end so as to retain its engagement with vthe nut and prevent prep cipitate dropping of the lowermost tray.'

It is desirable to vary the position of the eggs at intervals as well as to move them away from the point of greatest heat. To accomplish this shifting of the eggs, we provide means for tilting the trays in each column, said means consisting of links pivotally attached to and connecting the trays in eachv column, and means for imparting vertical movement to the links whereby the trays will be turned about their pivotal supports 33. .The links 46 each consists of an upper narrow strap or member 47 pivoted at its upper end upon the side of the tray and provided at its lower end with a notch 48 adapted to receive a securing screw or pin 49 inserted through an opening 50 in the lower strap or member 51. The screw 49 is inserted through the opening 50 and the notch 48 and a thumb nut 52 is mounted upon the end of the screw and turned home against the link member 47 so as to hold the links securely in alinement, and to further maintain the alinement of the link members, the lower member is ,extended above the connecting screw 49 and equipped with lugs 53 at its edges adapted to enter notches 54 formed in the side edges of the upper member 47. It will, of course, be understood that the lower end of the member 5l is pivoted-to the side of a tray and the upper end of a subjacent member 47 is pivoted to the same tray by the same pivot pin or rivet. Pivotal movement of the trays is thus permitted but the equidistant spacing of the trays is maintained whether the trays be disposed horizontally or inclined in either direction. One of the links 46 is extended above the column of trays and has its upper end pivoted to an angle lever 55, which lever is, in turn, pivoted at its upper end to a connecting rod 56 extending 70 longitudinally of the casing adjacent the side thereof. Disposed transversely within the casing at any convenient point is a rock shaft 57 equipped at its ends with cranks 58 which project upwardly and are pivotally connected to the respectively adjacent connecting bars 56. At the center of the said rock shaft 57 is a double crank or rocking arm 59, to the ends of which are pivotally attached links or pitmen 60 which extend to a point adjacent the end of the incubator casing and are there connected to the lateral terminals of an angle lever 61 which is carried by a bracket 62 secured up'on the outer casing, the handle member 63 of the said lever projecting through a slot 64 provided therefor in the end wall of the incubator casing, as shown clearly in F ig. 1. If the handle 63 be swun upwardly or downwardly, a corresponding movement will be imparted to the lateral arms of the lever 6l which will be transmitted through the itmen 60 to the double crank 59 and the shaft 57 will be thereby rocked. The rocking of the shaft 57 will be transmitted through the cranks 58 to the connecting bars 56 so that the angle levers 55 will be, in turn, rocked and a vertical movement transmitted through the several links 46 to the trays 10 'so that they will be tilted about their pivotal supports 33 and the desired shifting of the eggs accomplished.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that we have provided a very simple apparatus in which a large number of eggs may be successfully treated, the working parts being simple in construction and compact in arrangement so that they may be easily manipulated and are not apt to get out of order. The fresh eggs are placed in trays at the tops of the several columns or series of trays and, as the incubation period passes, the trays will be successively fed downwardly by rotation of the feeding screws, as will be readily understood and as has been stated. When a tray reaches the bottom of a column, the split nuts carrying said tray will come into contact with the brackets 16 andfurther downward movement of the tray will be, therefore, arrested so that the tray may then be removed, after the link -46 is disconnected,

and supported on the fixed rests on the floor these lowermost 'trays will 'create a suction through the inlets 5 so that some fresh air vlongitudinal partitions by the ans.

will be drawn into the incubator and this fresh air, being cooler, will cause-condensa- `tion of the moisture in the heated air so 4that a'humid air will pass upy through the trays in the several vertical series or .columns and circulate about the eggs in said trays mingling with the hotter air immediately adjacent 'the top of the casing and being then drawn over the upper ed es of the v'heat'listhus supplied to the eggs according to theicondition of the eggs and proper 1n-I cubat-ion is insured. Of course, as the conveyers or feed screws are operated to cause descent of the trays, the trays will be tilted is connected with the adjacent angle lever 55. The sectional construction of the links facilitates this adjustment.

Having thus described the is claimedas new is:

l. In an incubator, trays arranged in a vertical series and supported for -pivotal movement, links pivoted to and connecting the trays, an endwise movable connecting bar, and angle -levers connecting said bar with the said links. y

2. In an incubator, trays arranged -in a vertical series and supported for pivotal movement, links] pivoted to and connecting the trays, an endwise movable bar, angle levers connecting said bar with the links, a rock shaft, a'crank on said rock shaft pivoted to 4said bar, and means for rocking said shaft. l

8. Inan'incubator, tra arranged in vertical series and supporte for pivotal move-v ment, links connectingA the trays, means for moving said llnks verticallyv whereby to tilt the trays, said links each consisting of an upper member having notchesv in its side edges, a lower member provided at its upper end with lateral lugs to engage said notches,

"said members, the upper member The invention, what and means for detachably connecti .the i 1n pivoted to an upper tray at its upper en and the lower member being pivoted at its lower end to a lower tray.`

4. In an incubator, trays arranged in a vertical series, vertically disposed feed screws adjacent the ends of the trays, nuts engaging said screws, pivotal connections between the nuts" and the trays, and means for rotating said screws.

5. In an incubator, trays'I arranged in a vertical series, vertical feed screws disposed adjacent the ends of the trays, split nuts adapted to be lengaged around lthe feed screws andv pivotally supporting the trays .means for rotating the feed screws, an

means for retaining the split nuts in engagement with the screws.

6. In an incubator, trays arranged in Vertical series, vertically disposed feed screws adjacent the ends of the trays, bracket members provided with studs pivotally engaging the ends of the trays to support the same,

split nuts mounted on said brackets and adapted 'to engage the feed screws, means for retaining said nuts in engagement with the feed screws, and means for rotating the screws. Y l

7. In an incubator, trays arranged in a screws arranged adjacent the ends ofthe trays, split nuts enga ing the feed screws, brackets earring sai engaging an fspporting the trays, guide tubes encirclin some ofthe'feed 'screws and having vertica slots receiving'the necks of vertical series, vertically disposed feed nuts and pivotally the split nuts whereby to maintain the nuts in engagement with the screws, and means for rotating the screws.

8. In anincubator, trays arranged in a.

vertical series, feed screws arranged -adja the screws' and pivotally supporting the cent the ends of the trays, nuts engaging i trays, beveled gears on the upper ends of the screws, a transverse shaft, beveled gears 100 on'said shaft meshing with the gears on the respective-screws, and means for rotating said shaft'from an'end of the incubator.

In testimony whereof we afix 'our signatures. j, JOHN E. SEBER. Ls. GEORGE H. CHAPLAIN. al 

